Cheapest thing a person has ever done

[Unorganisedchaos2]

Inspired by the children's birthday party thread, Im sure this has been done so many times but humor me as Im stuck at home with a poorly DD...

Our family once knew a couple who were convinced that the baby they were due to have shouldn't cost them any more than the family allowance and a grant I believe you used to get in the early 2000's. Some of the things they did:

• Commented that it had worked out well that the baby was born 2 months prem as they had been able to claim family allowance but he hadn't cost them anything yet as the hospital were providing nappies, milk etc.
• Refused to visit the baby until the hospital had issued a free parking pass then only visited 3 times a week because they were tired and as it was a 30 minute it was already costing a lot in petrol.
• Did a separate food shop for him of all supermarket own brand food and £1 meals, she actually had "his money" in one of those money bags the bank used and made the checkout person run it through as two separate shops.
• Spent hours in charity shops buying up the next few years with of clothes for him, at his second birthday they were asking us to buy clothes for 7-8 year old.
• Asked my mum to register as a childminder so they could claim childcare but expected my mum to do it for free (not honestly sure how that was ever going to work out)
• Not child related but he refused to drive above 50 MPH because he believed it was uneconomical, even if he was late for work or holding up a queue of traffic.

I used to work with a guy who claimed he hadn't bought toilet paper for ten years. Once a week he'd wait until everyone had left the office, then chuck a few rolls in his bag. He'd also do it in pubs, he took a little empty backpack with him specifically for that purpose.

Wasn't like this with anything else. Unreal.

How much should they have given?
And if more, why?

I don't understand this.
As the bride, it's your duty to pay for bridesmaids dresses, hair, etc, which you rightly did.

But why should your maid of honour pay for everyone's breakfast?
Don't get it?

I vaguely remember it's something to do with the release of oxytocin that's released whilst pushing in labour? If you don't get to push then it affects the oxytocin somehow? Doesn't happen with everyone, obviously.

I would give them back next christmas.

Are you ok, Mrs Day Knight??

@CherryRipe1 "Fripperies" 😅
That's a word I havent heard in years. One of my mums favourite words when she thought I had been spending money of unnecessary items 🤣🥰

There's no limits?

Whoops, not sure how I did that 🙈

No harm done, Kath. 😉

Sending virtual hugs for those who've had a great deal to contend with - light hearted tale here. A former boss mentioned he was doing up his house, so unable to live in it, and was moaning about paying two lots of council tax. I told him he was exempt whilst renovating the new house, which saved him about £1500. He gave me a half eaten (opened and three rows gone), large bar, of Dairy Milk, as a thank you!! I dumped it in his bin as I left his office!

Not sure this is quite in the spirit of the thread.

I'd hate to think my extended family were keeping tabs on my income and using it to calculate the cash owed to my first-cousins at Christmas.

lol my bridesmaid text me the day after my wedding to say she hadn’t had time to get me a card or to get cash out so she’d send me some money as my wedding gift when she got paid.

It’s been 13 months and I haven’t received anything 😂 About 1/3rd of my guests didn’t even put a card in the box though so I’m starting to think people my age just haven’t ever been to a wedding before or don’t know what’s polite behaviour.

Did your cat walk over the keyboard, @LookatmoiiiLookatmoiii? Or maybe you had dictation switched on and were practising the trombone? 😉😁

😂😂😂

My narc mother (and father) are loaded as I've explained but I was a skint single parent

For my dcs birthdays/Christmas,they would get cheap and fake tat

She really went one further one birthday though

Ds was turning 6/7 and she said she wouldn't buy him a present,but would take him to toys r us so he could choose his own

I was amazed-she was going to take him (a longish drive-she was very tight with her petrol) and she was going to allow him to choose his own present (which never happened-you got what she wanted you to have,it didnt matter if you liked it or not)

I agreed and we waited

And waited

And waited

3 months after his big day,he dared to ask when this trip was going to happen and she hit the roof

Swearing up and down that she hadn't said she would take him and that 'I spent enough on your birthday' (she hadn't spent a penny-there was no present-not even a card)

I ended up scraping some money together to take him but made sure I told everyone she knew (the shame of this really embarrassed her-narcs have their image to protect)

The following year,he got a packet of stickers for a sticker album he didnt have as he wasn't into the subject!

I'd have killed for £5

This post is an example of why I love MN so much 😂😂

No I’m not saying they never do, I’m saying it’s less common because of how hormones work. This isn’t my opinion btw there’s tons of information about it.

Because, if I’d been bridesmaid with all those things given to me, there is no way I would have quibbled over 10 quid ffs.

You are not alone. My tight mum brought the receipt with her when she brought nappies to the hospital for me when DS was in for a week. £16.50. She knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

I would always reimburse my mum for things she buys me. She is on a pension, I wouldn't expect her to pay for nappies. Could the dad not have bought the nappies?

TBF my mum and I have ridiculous back and forth of reimbursement. No don't be silly, put your money back in your purse. No, please, I don't need you to give you money for that, and so it goes on.

Bit the reason they are given is the bride wanted a certain dress, look etc. The bridesmaid probably paid together there and hotel after and possibly present. No way would I have not given my bridesmaids the money to get the breakfast items. Jeez

I'm on the fence on this one.

On one hand, I can't imagine asking a friend to transfer the £10 which I spent on her wedding as a one-off, unless I was truly broke.

On the other hand, it's not the bridesmaid's job to treat everyone to breakfast.

I agree here. I would have offered the bridesmaid money.